Typography trends for 2018, 3. Personality

January 4, 2018
• Typography trends
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What typography trends are forecast for 2018 and how can you use them?
Trend 3. Personality
By Sarah Hyndman

Part 3 in a series of posts looking at typography trends that we predict will influence graphic design in 2018, and explaining how you can incorporate each trend into your work.

1. Vernacular / 2. Neutral & universal / 3. Personality / 4. The return of flares & serifs / 5. Colour fonts / 6. Variable fonts / 7. Fashion / 8. Trend forecasters

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3. Personality
SECTOR: DESIGN

HOW TO USE THIS TREND: Choose a sans serif typeface with rhythm and contrast to create tone of voice and personality.

Despite the continuing reign of the neutral sans serifs, change is in the air. The perfect geometric shapes are giving way to styles with contrast between the thick and thin strokes, personality and individuality, and sometimes a hint of history. Type Tasting research shows that letterforms with contrast are associated with content being more interesting or better informed.

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Typography trends for 2018, 2. Neutral & universal

January 3, 2018
• Typography trends
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What typography trends are forecast for 2018 and how can you use them?
2. Neutral & universal
By Sarah Hyndman

Part 2 in a series of posts looking at typography trends that we predict will influence graphic design in 2018, and explaining how you can incorporate each trend into your work.

1. Vernacular / 2. Neutral & universal / 3. Personality / 4. The return of flares & serifs / 5. Colour fonts / 6. Variable fonts / 7. Fashion / 8. Trend forecasters

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2. Neutral & universal
SECTOR: DESIGN

HOW TO USE THIS TREND: select a neutral and easy-to-read typeface family when you wish to be clear, accessible and for type to function like an invisible carrier of words. You may wish to combine this with a more decorative typeface for titles or headings, or to add a complimentary serif typeface to vary the tone of voice.

Geometric and neutral sans serif type styles continue to be ubiquitous, both as existing styles licensed from type libraries and for bespoke typefaces commissioned by companies. The current top three most popular typeface in the Typekit library are geometric sans serifs (Proxima Nova, Futura and Museo Sans). At number one is Proxima Nova Designed by Mark Simonson, which is a huge family of 48 sans serif fonts that gives a great deal of flexibility for designers to use across all touchpoints. Some font superfamilies also have serif fonts paired with the sans serifs, giving you the option to mix and match type styles harmoniously.

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What typography trends are predicted for 2018 and how can you use them?

January 2, 2018
• Typography trends
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What typography trends are predicted for 2018 and how can you use them?
By Sarah Hyndman

Keeping up with trends in typography can give you inspiration that keeps your design ideas fresh, or can enable you to differentiate yourself from (or align yourself with) your competitors. It also keeps you up to date with the exciting innovations happening in technology that could transform the future of visual communication.

Based on the predictions of trend forecasters, experts and our observations, these are the top trends that we predict will influence typography in 2018 and beyond. We will take a look at each trend, the sector it is likely to appear in, and explain how you could use it.

1. Vernacular / 2. Neutral & universal / 3. Personality / 4. The return of flares & serifs / 5. Colour fonts / 6. Variable fonts / 7. Fashion / 8. Trend forecasters

Trend 1. Vernacular
SECTOR: ADVERTISING

HOW TO USE THIS TREND: Select typefaces that have visual references pulled from a particular era or genre to add layers of meanings to your words, to trigger nostalgia, or to provoke a debate. You could include obscure references to be recognised only by people in the know.

Typography featuring vernacular references pulled from a particular era or genre. These are intended to add layers of meaning or embed ideas from popular culture into the typeface design, sometimes adding clues or reference points to be recognised by those in the know. These styles are often intended to be ephemeral and conceived with the thinking of an instant-impact advertising campaign, rather than a brand identity built for longevity. Type designer Bruno Maag explained at a recent Type Thursday meet up that this reflects the trend he sees towards ad agency-led rebrands, which produce results designed for impact but not long-term functionality, and he suggests that advertising agencies are increasingly taking over the traditional role of the branding agency.

Example: Formula 1 rebrand by Wieden+Kennedy
Use type styles with nostalgic references in the details to appeal to a new audience.

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Looking back over an exciting 2017, part 3

December 21, 2017
• Books, • Case Studies, • Events, • Games & Demonstrations, • International Teaching, • Interviews, • Multi Sensory, • Press, • Psychology, • Research, • Talks, • Workshops
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This is the third and final instalment reviewing Type Tasting in 2017: judging, the Type Tasting pop-up lab, publications and interviews.

Type Tasting founder Sarah Hyndman has continued her mission to make typography relevant and engaging beyond the world of design, and continues to work on proof-of-concept ideas to show that design can create positive change. She has judged design awards, the Type Tasting pop-up lab has continued to gather data, both her latest book and a new collaborative study have been published and she has appeared in interviews from The Times to Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch.

Judging
Sarah has been involved with the D&AD for a number of years; as a judge for their professional and student design awards, and as a bespoke typography course lead. She continues to work with students and was delighted to be invited to judge the Penguin student book cover awards this year.

• D&AD professional design awards 2017 (Yellow Pencil: Type Voice by Ogilvy New York)
• Penguin student book cover awards 2017 (winner: Madalyn Farley, Kingston University)

Pop-up Lab
Sarah has been researching perception of typefaces and multisensory typography for four years, both online and at events. The Type Tasting pop-up lab has appeared at a number of events this year to gather data both for scientific studies and a future book that Sarah will begin writing next year. Thank you to everybody who has taken part.

• Oxford Symposium (Hacking flavour perception: Design, technology, & gastrophysics)
• Stoke Newington Literary Festival
• Tate Modern
• Victoria & Albert Museum
• Shoreditch House

“A fascinating insight into how type can influence our feelings, our senses, and even our taste” Professor Charles Spence, University of Oxford

Published
The second of Sarah’s books were published this year, with a well-attended launch event at the Tate Modern and an appearance on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch as their typography expert.
‘How to Draw Type & Influence People: An Activity Book’ by Sarah Hyndman, Laurence King Publishing. D&AD illustration award entry.

The latest collaborative study with Professor Charles Spence of the Crossmodal Research Laboratory at the University of Oxford has also been accepted for publication, this is the first to use data gathered by the pop-up lab earlier in the year.
‘The role of typeface curvilinearity on taste expectations and perception’ by Carlos Velasco, Sarah Hyndman (Type Tasting) & Professor Charles Spence (Department of Experimental Psychology, University Oxford), 2018, International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science.

Interviews and appearances
A selection of interviews from live television to ones printed in real, inky newspapers.
• Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch interview
• Monocle Weekly Radio interview
• i Newspaper ‘Just your type: Can the science behind the subconscious influences of different fonts be harnessed to make us think and eat differently?’
• It’s Nice That ‘“Type alters what you smell” and other insights from Sarah Hyndman’s latest type-based research’
• The Times ‘Using right fonts on labels could tackle obesity’
• Design Week ‘It’s easy to see typography as an invisible discipline’
• The Guardian ‘Just my type: how Cooper Black became 2017’s most fashionable font’
• Total Film ‘Type Cast. What does a film poster’s typography tell us?’
• Grafik Magazine ‘Unknown Pleasures’
• The Bookseller ‘Type Tasting’

Would you like to commission a talk, workshop or event?
Get in touch with Sarah Hyndman

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Looking back over an exciting 2017, part 2

December 20, 2017
• Books, • Case Studies, • Events, • Games & Demonstrations, • International Teaching, • Interviews, • Multi Sensory, • On Popular Culture, • Press, • Psychology, • Research, • Talks, • Workshops
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This is the second instalment reviewing Type Tasting in 2017: corporate workshops, sponsored workshops and drop-in events (read part 3 here).

This year Type Tasting founder Sarah Hyndman has created workshops and events for a range of dynamic and innovative clients. Workshops have taken place at adidas HQ in Germany, for Design Thinkers in Toronto and at Tate Modern. Sessions have been created to launch the new BumbleBizz app with a workshop for entrepreneurs, as a teambuilding ‘Fight Club’ evening at WGSN, at the Wellcome Collection and for the D&AD.

Corporate workshops
Sarah trains communications agency teams how to better connect with their audiences through understanding the psychology of typography and communication, often with a design thinking challenge built into the session. All sessions are participatory and hands-on, packed with games and activities that invite participants to become a part of the discovery process

• adidas HQ Germany
• Frukt
• Hodder
• RMIT Melbourne
• Springett’s
• Totally Money
• WGSN

“The trainer was absolutely amazing! Such an interesting person who is obviously so passionate about what she does. Lots of short activities to figure things out for ourselves. Very interactive, loved all the visual elements and the games” WGSN

“I’ve often found typography intimidating. However, your research made it relatable, exciting and really quite funny. We were all buzzing after your workshop” Isabel Doraisamy, RMIT Melbourne

“Really interesting—like a mini TED talk with activities” WGSN

Sponsored workshops and drop-in events

Sarah teaches entrepreneurs how to use fonts to communicate their brand and how to create their own visual voice on social media.
She also creates masterclasses, break-out sessions and pre/post talk activities. Participants are guided through the layers of an experience that will inform, entertain, and engage their curiosity. Preconceptions and assumptions are questioned and activities are created to tell the story of a brand or product experience.

• BumbleBizz Launch event
• Design Thinkers Toronto for Monotype
• Letterform Live #VinylType for Monotype
• Shoreditch House for the D&AD Festival
• Tate Modern book launch event for Laurence King
• V&A Museum for the London Design Festival
• Wellcome ‘Language Lab’ workshop
• Wellcome: Type Triage activity and display

“Tasting, smelling, listening to and even saying type! Mind blowing workshop” Sally Henderson, Micklegate Design

“So interesting, so brilliantly delivered and such a clever structure. My D&AD festival highlight” Ruth Yearley, Partner. Direct or Of Insight & Strategy, Ketchum

Would you like to commission a talk, workshop or event?
Get in touch with Sarah Hyndman

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Photos by Benjamin Glean (corporate workshops and sponsored sessions); Graham Sturt (corporate workshops); David Owens (sponsored sessions).

Looking back over an exciting 2017, part 1

December 20, 2017
• Books, • Case Studies, • Events, • Games & Demonstrations, • International Teaching, • Interviews, • Multi Sensory, • On Popular Culture, • Press, • Psychology, • Research, • Talks, • Workshops, How to Draw Type and Influence People
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This is the first instalment of a review of 2017—a busy and exciting year in which Type Tasting has popped up in prestigious locations both in the UK and abroad (read part 2 here).

Type Tasting founder Sarah Hyndman is on a mission to make typography relevant and engaging for all, she also believes that design can create positive change. Sarah specialises in making a complex topic accessible with originality, humour, a dash of theatre and lashings of audience participation. This year she has spoken at the launch of a new watch, a fragrance conference, she has been interviewed by The Times and on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch. She has created an immersive exhibition for the British Academy, and run workshops for adidas, BumbleBizz, Wellcome and WGSN. The Type Tasting pop-up lab also gathered data for the latest collaborative study with the team from the University of Oxford, and her latest book was published.

Public speaking
Sarah’s interactive talks are packed with games and demonstrations that inform, entertain and challenge preconceptions. She has been a guest speaker at events such as the recent Mondaine watch press launch, the Fragrance Forum conference, and has spoken in Canada, Denmark, and India.

• Design Thinkers Toronto
• Fragrance forum, London
• Glug Birmingham
• Mondaine watch press launch pre-dinner talk
• Northern Design Symposium, Newcastle
• We Love Graphic Design, Copenhagen
• W.I. Fulham & Chelsea, London
• University of Wolverhampton

“Sarah is a fantastic speaker – she engages audiences with a brilliant mix of warmth, good humour and real insight into her subject matter – in which she is expert. She quickly warmed up a noisy crowd and had them eating out of her hand, everyone taking part (almost unheard of) and I only heard good things about her talk afterwards” Luke Tonge, Glug curator

“Insightful and entertaining…a tricky synergy to pull off – bravo!” Laura Piche, Design Thinkers Toronto

“It was great!! The audience erupted with laughter during your talk” Lisa Hassell, Glug organiser

“Just loved your typography karaoke” Amelia Roblin, Design Thinkers Toronto

Exhibitions
Sarah collaborates with exciting and innovative people such as Tasha Marks of AVM Curiosities, as well as perfumers, composers, chefs and scientists. Together they create interactive exhibitions and experiential events that take participants on a multisensory journey, immersing them in typography and culture.

British Academy ‘Pride, Prejudice & Perceptions’; an interactive exhibition and Lates event held in May. This is an interactive sensory exploration of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, created by AVM Curiosities & Type Tasting for the British Academy’s Literature Week. Taking inspiration from the typography found in three editions of this classic novel, Pride, Prejudice & Perceptions uses type, sound, sight and scent to serve one story three ways.

“A thoughtful and contemporary way of deconstructing Pride and Prejudice” Marisa Smith, The British Academy

“Beautiful and so original, I could have spent hours looking (and hearing and smelling)” Tora Orde-Powlett, Penguin Books

“Black lobster and Jane Austen—of course! And the aroma of the printing press mingled with violet and patchouli oil scented books, it is a sensory delight” Rosalind Freeborn

Would you like to commission a talk, workshop or event?
Get in touch with Sarah Hyndman

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Photos by Jonathan Cherry (main public speaking photo taken at Glug Birmingham); Pride, Prejudice & Perceptions by the British Academy.

 

Type Tasting Open Studios Weekend

November 16, 2017
How to Draw Type and Influence People, Open Studios Weekend, Why Fonts Matter
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You are invited to our Type Tasting Christmas Open Studios Weekend on 25th & 26th November from 11am-5pm. The Chocolate Factory N16, Farleigh Place (off Farleigh Road), London N16 7SX.

There will be something experimental taking place in the Pop-up Lab. The studio will be full of all things typography—to look at and to buy. Including signed copies of Sarah’s books, limited edition screen prints, and letters to hang on your Christmas tree.

Chat to Sarah about an event or workshop for your organisation, either as a Christmas jolly or some teambuilding inspiration to see in the New Year. This year she has created Type Tastings for adidas, British Academy, Bumble Bizz, D&AD, The Fragrance Forum, Monotype at Design Thinkers Toronto, the V&A for the London Design Festival, Wellcome Collection, and WGSN.

Private view evening
Type Tasting supporters are invited to the private view on Friday 24th November from 6.30pm-9.30pm, please RSVP sarah(a)typetasting.com